CNN's Crier, Shaw will team up to cover presidential politics

January 27, 1992|By David Zurawik | David Zurawik,TV Critic

The on-again, off-again anchor team of Catherine Crier and Bernard Shaw is back together again starting today at 4:30 p.m., as CNN launches "Inside Politics '92," a daily half-hour program devoted to presidential politics.

"The 1992 presidential campaign is the most important U.S. news story of the year, and CNN's daily political newscast indicates our commitment to provide U.S. viewers with the most comprehensive and enlightened coverage," CNN President Tom Johnson said.

Besides daily reports from the campaign trail, the show will include ongoing analysis of TV advertising by the candidates and polling of voter concerns. Reporter Brooks Jackson and Jim Connor, a producer, form the self-described "truth squad," which will report on and dissect the candidates' ads. Other analysts and reporters appearing regularly on the show with Crier and Shaw will include: Ken Bode, William Schneider, David Broder, Debra Potter and Jack Germond.

Crier and Shaw first teamed up in the fall of 1989 for "The World Today," a nightly newscast going head-to-head with CBS, NBC and ABC newscasts. At the time, Crier had no TV experience. She was working as a district judge in Texas. The satellite marriage -- with Crier in Atlanta and Shaw in Washington -- was a rocky one. The two separated to do different newscasts following the Persian Gulf War.

For her part, Crier said she and Shaw got along well as co-anchors. Shaw has declined comment.